Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-06-03
The English Woman.

In the great middle class of England
We find the highest type of womanhood
and her saving grace. In health and
physique these women are models wor-
thy OF our admiration and emulation.
1t is with rare exceptions that the tour
list sees pale-faced, puny, sickly-look-
ing, spindle-waisted, painting. fainting
English woman. The pink and white
complexion, the clear eye, the we'll
rounded waist, the firm tread, bespeak
perfect bodily health. Many of these
women take their summer outing in
long walks across the fields, that they
may view nature in all it's grandeur and
simplicity, instead of rushing from shop
to dressmaker and packing Saratoga
trunks for days or weeks before taking
a rest" They don tidy flannel walk
ing costume, fill handbasket with
few toilet articles, and start on their
walking or tricycle. tour over the charm
ing roads, making detours as they fancy
over the heaths. It is not uncommon
to see double tricycle. with husband
and wife riding through the country for
their vacation. Doubtless the good
health of these women is due largely to
their outdoor exercise. In this class
will be found the best of home-makers,
the broad-minded philanthropists and
reformers and the happiest and most
useful wives, mothers, and spinsters.
The English wife in this class is no
drudge; she commands a retinue of
servants that would appal the American
husband on domestic pay day. The
standing of a family socially depends
somewhat upon the number of servants
employed. ave could easily manage
our household service with one servant, {"
said model mother to me, "but son
and daughters would rather economic
in other ways and keep two maids for
the appearance Of the thing" The
irregularity, the timely luncheon of the
English household would make drudge
of the head were it not for the number
of servants usually employed. I have
been most delightfully."- entertained in
several charming, perfectly ordered
homes of men engaged in large manu-
featuring interests, and find that the
usual retinue of servants consists of o
cook, housemaid, nurse, governess,
gardener, groom, and valet. The
scarcity of labor keeps these servants
respectful and attentive, and their
character" depends upon the length
of time they serve one master; this
makes commanding and serving much
less annoying than with us in America
where the help expects to rule or ruin.
If the mistress of this manse is given to
benevolence, as she usually is, she en-
ploys woman philanthropist to read
the Bible and visit the sick, the afflicted
or the fallen, with messages of consola-
ton, the loaf, or the bunch of flowers,
as the case may require. The zeal and
magnitude of charities carried on by
this class of women in the cities of En-
gland is beautiful to contemplate. Con-
siderng the great decentralization of
the masses throughout the British En-
pire, it appears to me that these women,
and their hearty co-laborers, their hus-
bands, fathers, and brothers, are hold
ing up by main force the whole struct-
ure of British society. They are usually
devoted to church duties, the church
leading rather than following in works
of reform and charity. am pleased
to note the absence of religious cant in
their conversations and methods; they
do not expect the Lord to serve them
as their apprentice, but with an execu-
tive ability born of real and common
sense they apply the law as laid down
in His word. There is an entire alb
sence of silly small-talk and affectation
among them which gives place to genial,
| whole-souled, sensible conversation on
| artistic, literary, scientific, social,
philanthropic, or political subjects. Al
together the women of the middle class
of England are charming to study and
to know.-Hon1eJ Journal
Hope is the most beneficial of all the